Boreal and John Grey Season 1 by Chrystalla Thoma Read Free Book Online

person, and below black marks. She bent closer and read her name, etched in flowery script. Her hands began to shake. Next to it Simon had written a row of numbers and letters. Her heart began to pound. A code?
    Get a grip on yourself . It was just scribble paper. He’d used it to prop the table’s leg, for god’s sake.
    The table that had never listed. She’d sat with Simon countless times there, talking about the Shades, Ella’s dysfunctional family and Simon’s archaeology interests. Had he left the paper there for her?
    Yeah, why would he do that? If he’d found out anything important, the first person he’d have gone to was Dave. And, really, the spiral was one of the most common symbols, a natural design, something Simon must have drawn unconsciously. It meant absolutely nothing.
    But what if it did? What if Simon had wanted her to see this?
    On a whim, she shoved the paper in the pocket of her jacket. It wasn’t a clue, she told herself, not until she found a meaning to the numbers and letters, although she’d give it a shot. She’d swing by HQ, see if Jeff had any ideas.
    But she’d barely stepped out the door when Dave called her.
     

 
    Chapter Four
    Andlangr

    Carlton Hospital was huge and built like a maze. She lost time trying to get directions and then trying to follow them. You’d think they’d have signposts in a place that big. Maybe even traffic lights and pedestrian crossings.
    At last she found the right place, and there was Dave, sitting in the waiting room and nursing a cup of coffee.
    “You took your time,” he grumbled.
    “How’s Sarah?”
    “Lost a lot of blood. They’re operating now.”
    “So how did she escape?”
    Dave shrugged.
    “Okay.” They’d have to ask her. “Where was she attacked?
    “On her way home, in the street. The Shades carved her up pretty badly.” He rubbed a hand over his face. He looked much older than his forty years. His hair seemed to have turned grey overnight. “Did you hear about Greary?”
    “The hell? Simon’s uncle?” A cold feeling settled in the pit of her stomach. “What happened?”
    “Dead.”
    Crap . “Heart attack?”
    He gave her a funny look. “These days? A Shade attack on the institution. Question is: why him?”
    Ella sat next to him and tangled her fingers together, stared at the knot. “I think he was an oracle.”
    “And Sarah...?”
    “An oracle, too.”
    Dave grimaced. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
    “Guess so. The Shades have started attacking oracles.” Damn, Mike . She had to check up on her neighbor.
    “And voyants. Two more agents have gone missing. Nicki and Shawn.”
    “I thought Shades didn’t work in an organized manner.”
    He shrugged. “Something has changed.”
    “Yeah.” The understatement of the year. A thought struck her. “Dave, maybe it’s time you told me—”
    Dave cut her off. “Listen to me. You need to get a partner ASAP, or else you’re staying home with police detail.”
    She opened her mouth to retort, when a doctor came out of the surgery room, pulling off his latex gloves. “Are you next of kin?”
    “Captain David Holborn, police.” Dave flashed his badge. “How is she?”
    The doctor nodded. “She’ll be fine. She’ll need to rest.”
    “We must talk to her,” Dave said, looking over the doctor’s shoulder at the nurses wheeling Sarah out of surgery. “It’s urgent.”
    The doctor sighed and gestured for them to follow. “Five minutes. If she can.”
    They were let into her room. She was propped on two pillows, looking pale and drawn. Her face, clean of makeup, seemed very young. Her short hair was mussed.
    “Ms Williams, we need to ask you a few questions,” Dave said. Sarah ignored him, turned her gaze to Ella.
    “Simon?”
    Ella shook her head. “Still missing.” She walked around the bed so Sarah wouldn’t have to crane her neck to talk to her. “Who attacked you, Sarah?”
    “Shades.” Her voice was rough. There was a paper cup with